A CORPORATE RACQUET
As fitness becomes a lifestyle and with community sports culture rising, cities like Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi-NCR, Pune, Hyderabad and Goa are witnessing rapid adoption of pickle and padel across corporate wellness programmes.
Some companies such as Myntra have built an in-house pickleball court at its Bengaluru office. The court is open to employees, their family and friends.
PepsiCo India has introduced pickleball in some of their offices. It organises internal events (PepsiCo India League) that includes the sport. RPG Group is also investing in workplace pickleball as part of its ‘hello happiness’ initiative.
JSW, primarily into padel, is interested in building an ecosystem for the sport. It even has a padel court on top of its office in BKC, Mumbai. ITC Foods signed a five-year partnership with All India Pickle Ball Association (AIPA) to boost the sport in India. It also plans to support college-level tournaments in 23 states to build grassroots participation.
Swiggy is a brand partner for the World Pickleball League. Adani Group is a partner to the Indian Pickleball League. Westlife Foodworld, which owns and operates McDonald’s in West and South India, announced a strategic partnership with the Indian Padel Academy to promote and grow the sport in India.
Who are the players?
Parth Jindal, MD, JSW Cement Jindal started playing padel when he chanced upon the game in Dubai during Covid. He got addicted to it and now plays two to three times a week. In fact, he has built a court on top of his office building. For him, it is also an emerging business bet via JSW Sports. “It’s an amazing sport that combines team work, squash, tennis and badminton. It’s a great workout, combining skill, technique and stamina. And what attracted me to it is that it’s incredibly energising to play outdoors as well as competitively, and gives a chance to meet new people,” he says.Ankit Agarwal, MD, Sterlite Technologies Agarwal used to play tennis and badminton earlier, but found padel very exciting and different — it’s essentially got the best of tennis, squash and badminton. He makes sure he gets a game wherever he is travelling for work, whether to New York, Dubai or London. “It’s a great combination of fitness as well as spending time with friends. I have also made many friends (across ages and geographies) . I play three to four times a week and go to Bali for coaching once a year,” he says.
Anurag Verma, founder, BI Sports, and Sampada Gosavi, MD, Astellas Pharma This husband-wife duo plays pickleball every weekend, and now Verma has also started playing padel. He reckons that the sport is becoming “the new golf”, because of the number of CXOs who share the same passion for the game. “It was much easier for my wife to pick up pickleball. Any rookie can learn the game quickly. Padel isn’t the same; you need four people, and it’s definitely more demanding. It’s a real cardiovascular workout where you have to stay sharp on the court. It feels like a complete sport.”
Mihir Akolkar, Co-founder and COO, DoWhistle Akolkar, who runs a hyper local platform, looks at padel as a social sport — a high-net-worth game where people connect, interact, and even exchange ideas. “What makes it unique is the glass-enclosed court,” he says. “Unlike tennis or squash, the ball can rebound off the glass, creating countless permutations and combinations in play. Every day, there’s something new to learn and that’s the real sticky factor that keeps players coming back,” he adds.
Mihir Akolkar, Co-founder and COO, DoWhistle Akolkar, who runs a hyper local platform, looks at padel as a social sport — a high-net-worth game where people connect, interact, and even exchange ideas. “What makes it unique is the glass-enclosed court,” he says. “Unlike tennis or squash, the ball can rebound off the glass, creating countless permutations and combinations in play. Every day, there’s something new to learn and that’s the real sticky factor that keeps players coming back,” he adds.
Yuvraj Ruia, Athlete The grandson of industrialist Shashi Ruia, Yuvraj has been promoting pickleball through coaching, expanding the game through more courts and by talking to corporates. He is so serious about the sport that his bio on Instagram reads, “Pro Pickleball Playa Living my best life.” “This sport is a fun way to network, suitable across wider age groups making it an accessible game. Each court just needs to be 60-ft by 30-ft wide,” he shares.
Anant Goenka, Vice-chairman, RPG Group Goenka has loved racquet sports all his life and loves the camaraderie and verve of padel. “When I tried it a few years ago, I was instantly hooked. It’s great for fitness, and because you always play in (a group of) fours, the company and energy are always fantastic,” he says.
Rohan Menezes, Former COO, Bank of America Menezes, who has been a racquet sport player who has played tennis, squash all along, now plays both pickleball and padel. “Pickleball continues to grow rapidly as a community-driven sport, especially when compared to padel. Just as golf used to be the CEOs’ game, Padel is now emerging as the new elite choice, attracting more top executives,” he explains.
THE BASICS
PICKLEBALL
- Most recreational games are played to 11 points (win by 2)
- Best-of-3 sets format at tournaments
Average duration:
- Single game to 11: 10–20 minutes
- Best-of-3 match: 20–40 minutes
FALLEN
- A padel match is usually best of 3 sets
- Each set goes to six games (like tennis)
Average duration
- 60–90 minutes for a casual match
- Competitive matches can go 90–120+ minutes
WHO’S PLAYING?
- Urban millennials and young professionals
- Families seeking social weekend sports
- Seniors appreciating the low-impact nature
- Tennis and badminton players switching for fun and ease
- Kids through school programmes and academies
- Corporates using pickleball for wellness days and team-building sessions
- Co-working spaces and tech parks setting up small courts for employee engagement
- Large corporations like IT firms, startups, and BFSI companies hosting internal leagues
- Housing societies hosting weekend tournaments for both sports
- Resorts and hotels are adding padel courts to create premium guest experiences
INFRASTRUCTURE
PICKLEBALL
- Requires minimal space: A pickleball court is about 1/3rd the size of a tennis court.
- Can be set up on existing badminton courts, multipurpose halls, or even unused outdoor spaces.
- Housing societies have been adding pickleball courts due to low installation cost.
FALLEN
- Requires specific infrastructure: walled courts with glass/metal mesh and artificial turf flooring.
- Higher investment but seen as a premium amenity, especially in clubs, gated communities, developers’ sports complexes, and fitness resorts.
- Rising interest from investors and real-estate developers in metros.
EQUIPMENT AND COST
RACQUET
- Pickleball: Light-weight paddle (wood, composite, or carbon) — Rs 2,000-Rs 10,000
- Padel: Heavier with perforated core — Rs 5000- Rs 25,000
BALLS
- Pickleball: Plastic balls with holes, low cost
- Padel: Balls similar to tennis, but slightly different pressure
SHOES
- Pickleball: Nonmarking court shoes
- Padel: Clay/turf shoes
OVERALL COST
- Pickleball: Very affordable for beginners
- Padel: Higher entry cost due to specialised equipment
INSIGHTS FROM INDIA’S BOOM
- Pickleball is expanding fast due to lower space and setup needs.
- Padel is positioning itself as a ‘premium recreational sport’ popular in upscale clubs.
- Southern and Western India lead adoption: Bengaluru, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad and Goa.
- Real estate developers are adding padel and pickleball courts as lifestyle differentiators.
- Major cities are now hosting beginners’ clinics, league tournaments, and coaching programmes.
- Sports infra developers increasingly bundle padel courts into new facilities.
- Corporates are investing in emerging sports (pickleball, padel) that are more accessible, require less infrastructure (especially pickleball) and appeal to younger employees.
- These sports are being used as a lever by corporates for employee wellness, reducing burnout and increasing engagement.